Lincoln Chair receives $1.3 million federal grant

Chiropractic EconomicsNovember 17, 2014

November 17, 2014 — John Mayer, DC, PhD, Lincoln Endowed Chair of Biomechanical & Chiropractic Research at the University of South Florida, has been awarded a Department of Homeland Security, FEMA Assistance of Firefighters Grant totaling $1,332,106, including a 5 percent extramural match from the Florida Chiropractic Research Foundation. This grant is the largest single commitment from FEMA’s Assistance of Firefighters Grants, Fire Prevention and Safety Research program specifically aimed at interventions for back injury prevention.

The three-year project is phase 3 of Mayer’s ongoing FEMA-funded research initiative on preventing low-back injury and illness in firefighters. Phase 1 of this initiative demonstrated a link between poor back muscular fitness and low-back pain in firefighters. Phase 2 demonstrated that a worksite exercise intervention is safe and effective in improving back and core muscular endurance in firefighters. Phase 3, the current study, will assess the clinical effectiveness of supervised and web-based exercises interventions performed over 12 months on preventing low-back injury and illness in firefighters.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of the fire department and nonaffiliated medical service organizations. For the current study, the three largest fire departments in the Tampa Bay region of Florida will participate.

Because of contributions from the chiropractic profession, the Lincoln College Education & Research Fund, the Florida Chiropractic Association, and the Florida Chiropractic Foundation have been instrumental in helping establish, support, and fund the Endowed Chair at the University of South Florida.